A Significant Number Of Women Are Suffering From Back Pain During This Pandemic. All That Slouching And Added Housework Is Catching Up

A Significant Number Of Women Are Suffering From Back Pain During This Pandemic. All That Slouching And Added Housework Is Catching Up

If I were to describe the year 2020 in a few words, I would probably go with calling it one of the most frustrating practical jokes to be ever played on humanity. 2020 is technically everything we asked for but served to us with conditions we didn’t account for.. Admit it, you’ve always wanted the work from home and dreamed of the day you didn’t have to endure that hour-long commute. But when given to us in 2020, the dusty, pollution-laden commute seems almost dreamy. And we women have it worse because we are handling work from home and working in the home and it’s giving us a back ache!

Yes, you heard that right. One of the most commonly spread yet painful symptoms of this pandemic, especially for the women, has been a chronic back ache. All the added housework from mopping, cleaning to washing clothes and utensils, and the urge to work from our beds in a position that is as toxic to our necks as that boy in our DMs is to our mental health, studies show that an aching back is now an ‘all time high’ among women. The work from home is really taking a toll on us.

It is noted that women mainly in the age bracket of 20 to 60 years old have been coming up constant complaints of back, shoulder, and neck pain. And considering I am typing this with one hand on the keypad and the other supporting my neck, I can vouch for the authenticity of the stats.

Also Read : #Voices: Study Says Women Who Work From Home Suffer From ‘Double Burden Syndrome’ Where Deadlines And Domestic Duties Are Both Their Responsibility

Taking the example of a housewife in Mumbai, who suffered from back pains during the lockdown owing to the reduced house help and heavy lifting that came with handling the gas cylinder, Dr Kailash Kothari, Interventional Spine and Pain Management Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital shared, “There are many women like her who are suffering from back pain during the lockdown. 4-5 women visit me on a daily basis with various musculoskeletal issues, with back pain as a major contributor.”

He further went on to share, “Initially, the work from the home policy got thumbs up from the employees, but due to long working shifts, bad posture, not having access to specially designed chairs for back and adjustable monitors, many women are complaining of back pain. Not only these, but there are also women who have to do household chores on their own, some are pursuing online education along with working, and carelessly lifting the heavy objects have taken a toll on the woman’s musculoskeletal health causing unnatural curvature in the spine. It can also cause and shoulder and neck pain along with spondylosis when the cervical nerve gets pinched.”

Despite us being constantly told that we should use our legs to move and not our back, most of us are endlessly frustrated, mindlessly moving stuff around and forget the basics, given that we have so much on our mind. And it makes our back pain that much worse.

To address this problem of work from home, many companies are initiating sessions with physiotherapists. These sessions aim to educate employees on the right posture, the ideal height of the laptop and desk and they provide tips on alleviating back pain. A hard pillow and frequent breaks can often help.

And of course, women have it worse. And while men were helping out, it’s not expected from them, because cultural norms. *sigh*

Also Read : Study Says 70% Indians Choose Work From Home For The Rest Of 2020. So Can We Make It Easier For Women To Do That, Please?

Sadhika Sehgal

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